Ron Harding’s on Kipmckean.com (which was vetted by Kip before being posted
in 2010).

There seems to be a contradiction, or a rewriting of history going on regarding Kip’s resignation in November 2002 at the end of his one-year sabbatical, and announced by Kip at the November 2002 Long Beach Unity Conference.

————————————————————

Version One:

In the 2003 RTRIII, Kip paints his resignation as a noble, sacrifice of sorts, where he freely and willingly does so for the overall unity and good of the Movement (and with no mention of his leadership sins or any deficiencies in the previous 20-odd years, or his family problems). There was arguing and dissension among the worldwide leadership, and Kip just wanted everybody to, as Rodney King put it…”Can’t we all just get along?”

Here it is:

“There was a growing conviction that the missing element was a lack of a strong elders’ presence in our lives. By the end of the summer, from many quarters came a call to change the governance of our churches. Thinking that stepping down would help unite the leaders and eliminate criticism and bitterness, Elena and I chose to step down the first night of the Unity Meeting in LA in November, 2002.”

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Version Two:

In Ron Harding’s 2010 (Kip-vetted) “‘BIOGRAPHY OF KIP McKEAN” version, Kip is “forced” through “shame” into doing so against his will by conniving, conspiring leaders who are jealous and covetous of the power they will then steal from Kip and take for themselves.

Check it out:

“Since the New Testament does not explicitly have the term World Sector Leaders, the Kingdom Elders and Kingdom Teachers swayed the rest of the leaders of the ICOC at the Long Beach Unity Meeting in November 2002, to completely dissolve the structured, central leadership. In shame, McKean and the World Sector Leaders who had not yet stepped down were forced to resign their roles at the Long Beach Unity Meeting.

“Here, they also introduced their ‘Mainline doctrines’ of ‘consensus leadership’ and elders having authority over the very evangelists that appointed them. In the Kingdom Elders’ and Kingdom Teachers’ lessons and local meetings, they viciously attacked the ‘hierarchical structure of the ICOC,’ in which they were subordinated to McKean and the World Sector Leaders…

“At the forefront of this rebellion was Andy Fleming, the leader of the Kingdom Teachers, and Scott Green, who were both World Sector Leaders with a Mainline background. Fleming and Green, alongside Gordon Ferguson, Doug Jacoby and Sam Laing – Kingdom Teachers – as well as Wyndham Shaw and Bruce Williams – Kingdom Elders – began a focused effort to teach against the Biblical concept of a central leadership with a central leader for God’s people, thus returning the ICOC to the ‘Mainline theology of autonomy.’

“Spear-heading the plan in the LA ICOC was Bruce Williams… Williams – heightened in his influence by the support of his fellow elder in the LA ICOC Al Baird, who had been a World Sector Leader – traveled throughout the six county area of metropolitan LA, teaching the people that it was McKean’s personality, his “militaristic style of leadership,” and his inability to lead his own family that was the demise of our churches…

“Later Williams and Baird, alongside former World Sector Leaders Marty Fuqua and Peter Garcia of LA, would perpetuate an unprecedented move. These men swayed those who held positions on the Board of Directors to use the authority given to them by the “laws of the United States” to supersede the “laws of the Scriptures” and force out the leader that even they for years had wholeheartedly agreed was “God’s man” – placed in authority by God to lead His movement and maintain unity… “

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Version Three:

Here’s the kicker (and it actually should be called VERSION ONE, if these were listed chronologically). It’s Kip’s actual resignation speech / letter that he delivered to the Long Beach Unity conference in November 2002. I’m sure Kip wishes he could wipe this off the Internet history books. (It’s on the New Covenant website)

NOTE: there’s no reference to Kip being “forced” into doing so by a conspiracy of power-hungry leaders, or to his being reluctant to resign; there’s no description of Kip altruistically giving up power out of a noble motivation to help maintain “unity” in the movement; neither is their any mention of the evil influence of Mainline philosophy corrupting the movement (that Kip and his current underlings always claims occurred at this meeting, and that continues to this day).

His reasons are well… that he has been a real jerk… both as a religious leader, as well as a husband / father. Given the two Version’s above, what follows is pretty compelling reading. For God’s sake, he’s practically grovelling on his knees in a way he never has, either before or since: (this VERSION of Kip has definitely left the building in recent years).

Here it is:

“However this hour is personally a time of tears. God through His Word, through circumstances and through true brothers has made it clear that my leadership in recent years has damaged both the Kingdom and my family. My biggest sin is arrogance – thinking I am always right, not listening to the counsel of my brothers, and not seeking discipling for my life, ministry and family. I have not followed Jesus’ example of humility in leadership.

“Other sins manifested themselves through my anger. My anger has often shut people down and, worse yet, fostered an environment where people were afraid to speak up.

“Additionally, I failed to build strong, mutually helpful relationships. I did not respect those whose leadership gifts could have complimented my own. I was insensitive to the needs of weaker Christians and churches. I also caused some to operate from wrong motives and others to stumble because I focused more on numeric goals than on pleasing God. To my shame I allowed myself to be glorified more than calling everyone to give God all the glory.

“Since there are character sins, they surfaced in my family as well as in the church. Therefore, because I have so severely failed God and His movement, I have decided to resign as World Missions Evangelist and leader of the world sector leaders.

“I would like to apologize to all the Christians in all the churches for the things I have done that have tempted some to drift from God. I take full responsibility for how my sins have spiritually weakened and embittered many in our churches. I also take full responsibility for the spiritual condition of my family. I have pleaded with God to forgive my many sins and I deeply desire your forgiveness as well. I am very, very sorry.

“I want to thank all my brothers and sisters in the Kingdom for your support over the years; you have given so much of your lives and time to help build the Kingdom and encourage my family. I am extremely grateful for the Bairds and Gempels who have counseled and when necessary, rebuked Elena and me during the past year. I am very appreciative of the leadership in the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston churches, as they have made many efforts to spiritually strengthen my family. Elena and I are especially grateful for Steve and Lisa Johnson, Russ and Gail Ewell, Bruce and Robyn Williams, Peter and Laura Garcia and Sam and Geri Lang. They have been invaluable advisors in these difficult days. We also are grateful to God for the leaders in the South Region of the Los Angeles church who has given us a new and comforting and spiritual home.

“Please pray for me that someday these tears, which are no longer shed in self-pity but because I have hurt God and his people, will give birth to a joyous harvest of righteousness.”

————————————————————

As we all know, there no “giving birth to a joyous harvest of righteousness”. (Geez, mix metaphors much?)

Instead, he went right back to his old ways.

Sad.

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2011/08/3-versionsnoble-choiceforcejerk/feed/1http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2011/08/3-versionsnoble-choiceforcejerk/Kip McKeanʼs Theology: Still Winning in the Cincinnati Church of Christhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/qTyL8l3wreg/
Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:29:50 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=884Guest post by X-Ray

Almost five years ago, July 4, 2006, my discipling partner and I were both members of the Cincinnati Church of Christ. We decided to meet for coffee when we ran into another former member. With the fallout of the Henry Kriete Letter still fresh in my mind, this former member confirmed many suspicions I had that the Cincinnati Church of Christ wasn’t changing and heading towards a healthy direction.

He gave me permission to think.

Five years later, prompted by the Holy Spirit, I started discussing current church issues with a campus intern for the Cincinnati Church of Christ. I asked what they were using to “study the Bible” with people. And she gave me the “new” study series… with notes from the leadership embedded in it.

Ohioans such as myself enjoy the trick-taking card game Euchre. Using this as a metaphor, the campus intern called trump on Spades while I was holding the Jack of Clubs. She gave me what is known as the “Left Bauer” (the code name of this project), which was now the second highest trump in the deck and could most definitely prevent her from taking the majority of the tricks.

The final result is this in-depth analysis of this “new” study series entitled Kip McKeanʼs Theology: Still Winning in the Cincinnati Church of Christ. As the title states, the theology taught by the Cincinnati Church of Christ in terms of salvation is still the same as what Kip McKean has taught in “First Principles” for over three decades. It’s just the same rusty (but effective) steel trap, but with a different paint job.

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2011/07/kip-mckean%ca%bcs-theology-still-winning-in-the-cincinnati-church-of-christ/What Are Words For?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/w25Z92T0ZpE/
Thu, 26 May 2011 13:43:42 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=868Guest Editorial by Jeremie Lederman A rebuttal to Kip McKean’s article, “The Biblical Significance Of The Old Testament In New Testament Times” Saturday, May 21 of 2011 / Upsidedown21

Recently, Kip McKean wrote an article to expand on his beliefs regarding the role of the OT in the NT era. The primary target of his article is the CoC and ICOC. What he uses to target these churches is an argument that they are “false teachers of today, who do not preach from the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, as they are leading God’s people astray.” He then uses the article to defend this assertion. However, a brief analysis of his assertion falls short of the magnitude he attempts to understand. In short, Mr. McKean proposes that there is a unique understanding of OT authority that is being neglected by his primary target. This neglect insinuates that those leaders and by extension, the congregations, are in jeopardy of their very salvation. I am confident that anyone familiar with Kip’s hermeneutics will interpret this as further “one true church” commentary.

First, let me summarize the article.

The OT is just as important as the NT and should be used by the NT church as a source of instruction.

NT writers sighting the OT as scripture validates its importance.

Kip is aware of the OT value, and criticizes the CoC and ICOC for not having the same beliefs.

Kip uses basic biblical knowledge to describe ways that Jesus and the early church used the OT, continuing in his effort to validate his specific claim.

The article highlights that the OT holds authority that is currently active within the NT church.

There are first semester examples of numerology and symbolism.

Kip wraps up the article, sighting examples of how he uses both covenants to teach and instruct his church.

However, in reading the details and proof-texts he uses in his article, Kip begins to blend issues under the rubric of ‘authority.’ The issue of the Old Testament’s authority is a centuries old discussion. The key to understanding the undercurrent of his article is to understand that he is trying to define a very specific type of authority. He is trying to show how his church has zeroed in on the key aspect of OT authority and others have not. I suggest that the reader never forgets how often Kip tries to denigrate the validity of other congregations under the guise of a VERY unique interpretation of multi-faceted passages. The article certainly avoids terms like “One True Church,” but he does remind us of ‘the remnant.’

Kip’s article does a very poor job of offering a solid overview of what the OT authority is. It is by no means as simplistic and overreaching as he describes. Moreover, Kip makes sure to sight Wikipedia (of all things) for quotes on how the CoC and ICOC interpret the authority in the OT. Ironically, anyone with a solid knowledge of the bible will read his quotes and actually agree.

Because of the way Kip sets up his assertion, I have to bring out a scalpel. There is old covenant law and there is God’s authority as God. The two are unique and separate doctrines. Kip immediately blurs these, and then quickly moves on. For example, any NT church still practicing the OT law would be in grave error, even heretical. Basically, everything Paul fought against. I am certain that even Kip knows this and would not practice such error. This is what Kip posted from Wikipedia in regards to the ICOC’s beliefs:

“The Churches emphasize the use of the New Testament to find doctrine, ecclesiastical structure, and moral beliefs, while maintaining that the Old Testament… is also the Word of God, is historically accurate, and that its principles remain true and beneficial, but that its laws are not binding under the new covenant in Christ unless otherwise taught in the New Testament.”

Keep in mind, Kip writes the following in a paragraph before this quote:

“Yet many in Christendom have been led astray by those who preach that today only the New Testament has the authority of God.”

Can you see the deliberate blurring of the two types of authority?

While I hold no degree in a biblical education, and I profess no special or unique knowledge, I will dare to make some learned contrasts between the OT and NT covenants. Besides, Kip’s church has often prided itself that its leaders were ordinary and unschooled.

Contrast one:

The Bible is the Word of God. It has a divine authority and ongoing role in all believers’ lives

Contrast two:

God is the creator and has chosen to be known as a father and even brother to mankind. He holds authority in that regard. There is an intrinsic authority to God; He is not subordinate to any.

Contrast three:

The OT is made of the Law and the covenants God made to His chosen people. This Law is by extension, the Law of God. However, this Law now has its own basis for authority.

Contrast four:

An individual could sin against the Law, but be made right with God in atonement. This highlights the difference authority. Only God’s ultimate authority can forgive the trespass of his written authority to mankind, meaning that He trumps all other tiers.

Contrast five:

God himself tells us that a day will come when the written law will end and His new relationship with his children will begin. Deuteronomy 18:18, 19 where God speaks to Moses saying, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” This is one of many passages where God says a change in leadership will arise. Obviously, this is a reference to Jesus. Jesus will receive all authority, and at such time, will be the sole authority for the NT church.

In his article, Kip writes:

“The Bible is divided into two testaments, two covenants – the Old Testament and the New Testament. Yet many in Christendom have been led astray by those who preach that today only the New Testament has the authority of God.”

This is either deliberately blurry, or simply poor hermeneutics. I suspect it is deliberate. To state that people are led astray by ‘authority issues’ is extremely misleading. The problem is in Kip’s use of ‘authority.’ What Kip does here, is confuse a complex topic. And as Kip states further down in the paragraph:

“it is essential that we allow the Word of God to end the confusion – and confusion is of Satan (John 8:43-45).”

In terms of covenants, salvation, ecclesiastical organization, and traditions, the NT is the sole authority for the church. In regards to advice, proverbs, exhortations, and any other input on behavior, the OT has God’s inherent authority. That is DIFFERENT from the covenant authority.

Authority, Law, and covenants are VERY specific topics. They cannot be blended together to make a big bowl of proof-texting and gotcha points. Here is how I break it down:

God’s Law preceded Moses, His authority as God was known even to civilizations prior to the Ten Commandments.

God gave LAW to His people, the Israelites. He said that this Law was insufficient and would be later replaced by something better. Hebrews 8:7-13 “ For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.”

Jesus was alive and taught us for 33 years. During His LIFE, there was NO NEW COVENANT! The NT covenant only began after His death: Hebrews 9:15-17 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

In Kip’s article, he mixes these timelines in the following way:

“I too believe that this is applicable, because the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings” and later Peter equates Paul’s writings with “the other Scriptures.” (Acts 2:42; 2 Peter 3:15-16) Yet, the word “Scripture” appears 54 times in the New Testament and in each and every instance it refers to only the Old Testament!”

Kip mixes up the Apostle’s teachings (POST JESUS), with Peter’s description of how people misinterpret Paul’s writings. The Apostle’s teachings were echoes of everything Jesus taught them about the NEW covenant authority. However, even if you want to make the case that Paul was only using OT scriptures, you STILL miss the issue of Authority, Law, and Covenants. Paul’s writings were instructions given to him by Jesus about how to manage the church under the NEW authority. Peter admits that using distortions of Paul’s writing are also synonymous to misusing the OT scripture. This is not a good case to make that issues of dating, marriage, and other ideas are matters of salvation. Kip’s mentioning of these passages does NOT provide him a defense in his essential point (that the ICOC is full of false teachers influenced by Satan’s confusion because they do not have a similar view as Kip on AUTHORITY).

Here are simple yet revealing questions? Can you become saved without knowing the Gospel? Can you become saved without knowing the Law?

Here are more questions: Does God have authority in both covenants? Which kind of authority? Which authority does he tell us that we will be held accountable to? Who earned the right to judge us and what authority does He have?

Kip uses 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as a proof-text that a leader can apply any OT principle they choose to a current day believer. The question is this? Which principle? The only principles of the OT are either God’s intrinsic authority as God, or the LAW. Which of these two ‘principles’ are punishable? Only those who broke the LAW were lead to death and exile. God FREQUENTLY endured a broken heart for infractions against Him (as God and father, NOT as the Law). It was the overwhelming authority of the Law that required bloodshed for remission. God often states in His discipline that He hurts deeply from the personal rejection, but punished for rejecting the law.

When religious teachers try to apply the OT, they blend the three distinct facets all to broadly. Would Kip suggest we circumcise or commit to the sacrificial system? No. He would argue that such Law has been ended by the death of Jesus (thus defeating his own point about ‘authority).

Kip writes:

“Though the concepts of “calling-out the remnant,” “dating and marrying only disciples,” and “a central leader and leadership for each of God’s movements” are in the New Testament, the Old Testament is much richer in its depth on these vital truths. It is my conviction that the New Testament lacks detail on these truths, not because as some infer that they are of little or no importance, but because the Spirit speaking through the Old Testament has already been quite thorough in His teachings”

Well, fine. He can have that conviction. It does not, however, supersede the NT covenant or ecclesiastical structure. It most certainly does not give him the grounds for wide sweeping remarks. You can’t blend OT principles like finger paints, then claim a special role as a unique body of believers (thereby discarding all others as inherently false at the root, stubbornly rejecting Kip’s far superior hermeneutics.)

“After all, the Old Testament was the “Bible” of the followers of Christ in the first century.”

Yes, most of us know that. But that is true for an era 2000 years ago. Paul said that the imperfect will pass and the perfect will come. We now have what is held to be the spirit induced collection of letters. Furthermore, to state that the OT was the first century bible is not truly accurate. By 70 AD, the church was copying and distributing letters from the Apostles and even from disciples like Barnabas. Kip tried to make a quick comment that skips two thousand years of history.

“The Old Testament is essential to the modern church because it produces faith – faith in God, faith in Jesus as the Christ, and faith to live the Christian life. After all, God’s qualities and His divine nature are the same “yesterday and today and forever.”(Hebrews 13:8) Our God today is the same all-powerful God who created “the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) He gave Abraham a son at a hundred years old. (Genesis 21:5) He allowed David to slay Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:51) The message is clear from the Old Testament: through our faith God will do the impossible! More than this, when we come to really believe such accounts, then we have the same faith to do the impossible!”

Yep, God is awesome. However, appealing to the vanity of the Court does not somehow justify his case as the plaintiff. It does not provide a nice mechanism to cast other congregations into the darkness. Besides, all this does in reinforce my proposition that God is His own authority. Also, Kip’s first sentence walks dangerously around where we get faith (as NT covenant believers). The OT will do many things to the reader, faith will be built, but it is vital to proper doctrine that we designate NT faith in the right place.

To wrap up, Kip sites numerous examples of how he has been faithful to his idea of using the OT as a guide. However, do not be confused by all of the words and first semester numerology. Nothing of the last four paragraphs supports his original claim in any way. For example: what if I do NOT lead thousands in the ‘Jethro principle?’ Am I a false teacher? Did I sin against the Law OR God? What if I meet an Ethiopian Eunuch at Whole Foods? Could I help bring him to salvation WITHOUT sighting anything from the OT?

Again, Kip wanders through very dangerous places.

He says that the CoC and the ICOC are not in line with God like he is, and warns us of their satanic influence.

He gives application of OT principles a seemingly endless place of commands and rules in NT Christianity.

He implies that the CoC and ICOC do NOT teach from the OT the way he thinks they should. He then describes how he does it, and they turn out to be the SAME as his former churches.

He implies that the proper use of the OT is on par with salvation. Does he not claim that Satan confuses his former employer?

More than anything, he equates good advice with the Christ centered authority of the new covenant. Some might find this as headed in the direction of false teaching. Unless the Jethro principle holds the SAME significance as circumcision, Kip is wrong. There IS a difference from Law and advice. Kip uses the OT exactly like the ICOC or CoC does.

In closing, let me add the most important element to this discussion. Blood on the cross was shed for mankind. Consider what that means. Consider what that cost. The OT is not a playground for finding contrast between petulant leaders who are trying to win the most marbles. It contains the very life of Jesus, the promise of redemption, and the horrifying cost it will extract from our Savior. If one misuses the place that authority from the OT has with issues of salvation and Law, they ‘crucify Christ all over again’ just as the writer of Hebrews warns us of.

I will make the assumption that believers akin to Kip’s thinking will dismiss this rebuttal. It would not be surprising for accusations of “the writer just wants to do it their own way, they really don’t want to follow all of God’s teachings.” Or the classic “He just wants to do the bare minimum. He just wants to know the rules rather than have a heart for God.” Regardless, Kip’s assertion here, and use of the OT’s authority is in error. He has not made a case for his unique position nor has he given evidence that his actual practice is the different from the ICOC or CoC.

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/12/2010/A Glorious Bonfire?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/ZV0IkNyYTPg/
http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/10/a-glorious-bonfire/#commentsTue, 12 Oct 2010 16:03:48 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=815SP.com has noticed a trend happening in the Sold Out Movement and the ICOC Coop Churches.

Both groups have equated numerical growth with proving that God is with them, church leaders never miss an opportunity in articles, sermons, and especially conferences to mention their membership numbers and excitedly proclaim the number of churches in their movement.

The SODM conducted their Jubilee at the beginning of August 2010 and the ICOC Coop Churches just concluded their International Leadership Conference at the end of September 2010. Both groups spent a lot of time boasting about their numbers during their conferences.

Both groups point to their stats as some sort of proof of God’s blessing. Both groups proclaim to teach the truth. Both groups learned their doctrine from Kip McKean.

“More good news from abroad: The London Remnant Group, led by Tim and Lianne Kernan, hosted the second European Missions Conference on Ocrober 17-19, 2008.”

Why the change in name? Not growing? Was the membership numbers dwindling?

Now in September 2010, they conduct another inaugural service and claim they have “counted the cost” with the “Remnant Group” and now they are all ready to start the church. The phrase “counting the cost” means that leaders meet with each member of the church and typically go through an accounting of that members sins. The member is challenged about all areas of his life and expected to be broken about their lack of “sold-outed-ness” and then called to be more committed than ever before. Once again the members are then challenged to get busy evangelizing. With the sting of rebukes fresh in their hearts, the church holds another inaugural service. Does anybody in the SODM ever stop to think about what is happening here? Don’t they see how McKean is using the hype of an inaugural service to fire them all up without mentioning they’ve tried this before and apparently it failed?

“Now illuminating this dark world covered with “the shadow of death,” the Spirit of the “Light of Israel” has ignited a glorious bonfire called the London International Christian Church! Again it can be said, “A great light has dawned!” McKean, September 2010

A glorious Bonfire? Will this one last? Why the need to “count the cost” with members who are already supposed to be sold-out? The article mentions 27 members counted the cost? They were planted back in 2007 with 20 members. Only a growth of 7 members in 3 years? Not a very good showing to prove God is with you.

We’d like to ask, “Is the SODM growing at all?”

Over the past 4 years, we’ve monitored the list of SODM churches. Did you know that at least 18 churches were on their list and are no longer listed?

Reno-Taho International Christian Church

San Francisco International Christian Church – on/off several times

Bangalore Christian Church

Berlin International Christian Church, Germany

Iglesias Cristiana Internacional de San Salvador, El Salvador

Iglesias Cristiana Internacional de Guatemala City, Guatemala

Toronto International Christian Church

Iglesia Cristiana Internacional de San Pedro Sula

Tulsa International Christian Church

Sacramento International Christian Church

Salt Lake Christian

Corvalis Church

Honduras

Portland Oregon Church

Siberia

Northern Ireland International Christian Church

Savannah Church of Christ

Several churches listed in Chile

And we’ve recently noted that New Delhi International Christian Church was removed from the directory.

Why would a church of sold-out disciples who have to be 100% committed to even be baptized and are committed to evangelizing the world in one generation not be carrying out their mission? How in the world could they become lukewarm with McKean leading the way?

McKean claims,

“God’s modern day movement is moving with an ever-increasing momentum!”

Is it really?

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/10/a-glorious-bonfire/feed/2http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/10/a-glorious-bonfire/ICOCinvestigation .comhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/JumU5MnITls/
Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:16:05 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=807This website, SpiritualPornography.com, came from the need to post information that was originally posted at kipmckean.com. While most of the links and documents at kipmckean.com were specific to McKean, we have also collected quite a bit of information that pertains to the church that McKean built called the International Churches of Christ. ICOCinvestigation.com was started several years ago to expose the practices of the ICOC. We have collected quite a few documents and information for your review. McKean is building a new kingdom and appears to be building it in the same footsteps as ICOC. Can we excpect the same results?

These two websites are slowly combining into one website where you’ll be able to find a lot of information regarding McKean, the ICOC and the SODM.

Most members of the ICOC and SODM have no knowledge of the inner workings of their own church. Sadly, to ask questions about such topics as finances, doctrine and practices, often times brought the questioner into the spotlight and your own character would become the problem, instead of the issues being raised. So we decided to publish as much as information as we can find about the ICOC. If you have information and documents that you think would be helpful to understand the inner workings of the ICOC, we invite you to contact us and send in your information. If you wish, your identity can remain anonymous. We understand the difficulties that come when leadership becomes aware someone is speaking out.

Once again, the information they don’t want you to see, they call spiritual pornography.

Even ‘spiritual pornography’ has found its way onto the information superhighway. Instead of building lives for God, enemies of the church and disgruntled former members are uniting to attack the Kingdom and destroy people’s faith. They present their “facts” and their “stories” in such a way as to picture the church as an abusive, authoritative, greedy and evil cult. Of course, the danger in reading such material is that only one side is presented in personal stories of hurt, and no way exists to ever learn the other side. Al Baird, Elder of the LA ICC – in an ICC WWW Article titled – ‘You’ve Got Mail‘ 6/25/99

While we can understand the leaders, including Al Baird, do not want the average member to know this information, we can’t understand why knowing it would “destroy people’s faith.” People’s faith should be in God and learning the truth about the church they are involved in should strengthen their faith and encourage the average member to hold their leaders to a higher standard of openness.

The ICOC has had years and years presenting “their facts and stories,” we invite our readers to check out the information at ICOCinvestigation.com and encourage you to continue your research about the International Churches of Christ and McKean’s new Sold Out Discipling Movement, the International Christian Churches.

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/10/icocinvestigation-com/Back to the Futurehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/u5kDtKwTJPQ/
http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/09/back-to-the-future/#commentsSun, 05 Sep 2010 20:52:50 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=763In Kip McKean’s world everything is monumental. Every event that he schedules for his church is historic and life changing. McKean makes decisions as to where to live and he claims it’s the Spirit leading him. McKean decides where to plant a new church and it is somehow the Spirit leading his church.

In January 2009 McKean brought together his central leadership team for his soldout discipling movement and selected his first-round-draft-picks for the position of world sector leader. These world sector leaders will be given the charge to evangelize whichever ends-of-the-earth McKean, or I mean the Spirit, assigns to them.

In this article, while attempting to convince his readers that appointing world sector leaders is god’s will, we get some much needed insight into how McKean views his own position in his church.

“In each great movement in the Bible, there was always “God’s man” and the chosen few around him that formed “the leadership” through which God led that movement.”

“Today, many in “Christendom” are against a central leadership and a central leader.”

McKean refuses to see the difference between a movement opposed to a central leadership and a movement opposed to him leading the central leadership.

McKean goes on to discuss corruption within the Catholic church,

“They overreact and say, “We have no need for a human leader, a pope!” They go on to say, “The Bible teaches against a hierarchy of leadership.” In truth, it does and it does not. Ironically, most preachers who parrot these words are at “the top of the hierarchy” in their local, autonomous congregations. They simply want to lead “their own kingdom” and not submit to God through another man’s leadership.”

While it appears McKean is attempting to jab the ICOC leaders with these statements, he refuses to see that he too wants to lead his own kingdom and not submit to God through another man’s leadership.

It’s interesting to note that within McKean’s churches, each member is required to participate in a discipling relationship with another member over them. Each member is held accountable to their discipler and to God. Yet a central leader has no one over him. McKean claims,

“this man is held accountable by God. If God is with him, God blesses the movement. If he departs from God, God will take him out of leadership by killing him, or he disqualifies himself by falling away.”

This comment gives us some insight into how McKean may have viewed his leaving the ICOC. Obviously, God didn’t kill him and McKean believes he did not fall away from God, so McKean still views himself as “God’s man.” No wonder it was quite a shock for McKean when he was forced to seek employment elsewhere. Because “God’s man” doesn’t submit himself to other leaders for help and direction, he needed a new movement to lead and in August of 2005 McKean declared,

“as of this Jubilee the Portland leadership believes it is time for a progressive “calling-out of the remnant of disciples” from dying, former ICOC Churches.” The Portland Story

While the ICOC grew quickly and lessons learned over the years has given McKean experience to work from, his message hasn’t changed. His doctrine and methods to implement his plans haven’t changed and eventually he’ll reap the same results he had with the ICOC. We can look back at the “historic and life changing” events of the ICOC and predict with incredible accuracy what will become of the ICC.

Let’s look back to the future and see where things are headed!

ICOC Timeline

ICC Timeline

1979 God initiates his modern-day movement as Kip McKean preaches to the 30 “would-be” disciples in the Gempel’s living room in Boston

2003 – McKean moves to Portland to begin his ministry again. Making a point to point out how few chairs they would need to set up, “Wednesday Night Services – what a blast! A little less than a year ago, I would arrive early for Midweek services and asked myself whether to set up 20 or 25 chairs!! (This would be only about 1/5 of the membership of 120.)” 2004 Wednesday Night Services!

1979 Introduced the “key” or “pillar” church plan for evangelizing the world by “planting” churches in key metropolitan areas around the globe.

2008 – The Five Year Plan – To evangelize the world, pillar churches will be planted in the following mega-cities: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Moscow, Cairo, Lagos, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Mexico City, Sydney, Santiago, Sao Paulo, and one city in India – Mumbai, New Delhi, or Chennai. During The Five Year Plan, several more US churches must be established providing international student converts, who will “go home” to plant churches of sold-out disciples. Also, being a first world country, the US will provide mission funding for the third world.

1987 – August – The benevolent arm of the church, later named HOPEworldwide was founded

2009 “New Hope” led by the Bordieris later named MERCYworldwide. (2% of plantings’ weekly contribution will support this worldwide charity.)

1988 – World Sector Leaders chosen from couples the McKeans have trained

“The weekend of January 23-25, 2009 was historic – the first official gathering of the Central Leadership of the SoldOut Discipling Movement! …One disciple reminiscing about the “glory days” of the thousands being baptized in the Boston Movement (International Churches of Christ) asked, “Are these the new World Sector Leaders?” I responded, “In time, they and others will receive this charge.”

From the 2009 Global Leadership Conference, McKean presents The Crown of Thorns Project which has become a rallying vision for the movement.

“At the end of the lesson, I presented The Crown of Thorns Project. Remembering that Jesus said to the faithful Eleven, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” To evangelize the world, we must begin by evangelizing “our Judea,” the United States. In less than three years of existence, the SoldOut Movement has planted dynamic discipling churches in the four most influential cities of America – New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC – as well as in Portland, Honolulu, Hilo, Syracuse, Eugene and Phoenix. (These churches do not include several heroic remnant churches.) The US congregations will provide the needed resources – disciples and finances – to go “to the ends of the earth.” Therefore, to build on last year’s Five Year Plan, we must plan to encircle the globe with unified discipling churches on the other five populated continents. Listed are the 12 targeted international cities that form a redemptive “crown of thorns” around the world: Santiago, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, London, Paris, Cairo, Johannesburg, Moscow, Chennai or Delhi, India, Hong Kong, Manila and Sydney. It was so exciting that during the conference Sasha and Louisa Kostenko of Moscow, Russia and Joe and Kerry Willis of Brisbane, Australia solidified plans to move to LA for strengthening and further training. Of note, Sasha and Louisa were the number three and four baptisms when Elena and I planted the original Moscow Church in 1991. (The Moscow Church saw 850 baptisms in its first year!) In time, Sasha and Louisa married, went into the ministry, and by the year 2001, they led the 11,500 disciples of the 15 nations of the former Soviet Union! As He promised, our God is gathering a remnant from “the farthest horizons.” (Nehemiah 1:8-9) It’s happening!”

The Inaugural Service of the new Portland International Christian Church was held in January 11, 2009, led by Ron Harding

]]>http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/08/media/Shenanigans Part 4http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpiritualPornography/~3/adxt2Tcu3KY/
http://www.spiritualpornography.com/2010/08/shenanigans-part-4/#commentsMon, 02 Aug 2010 19:58:22 +0000http://www.spiritualpornography.com/?p=580Click Here to open one pdf that contains all of the links below in one document.

Now fast forward to April 2010. Four years have gone by and then I receive a certified letter from an attorney using McKean’s Los Angeles churches letterhead. The envelope I signed for, was not a letterhead envelope, but a plain white envelope with hand written addresses. The name in the return address did not acknowledge that he was an attorney.

On April 26, 2010 I received a letter from an attorney named Xavier Davis. Who was Mr. Davis representing? Why is this letter written on church letterhead and not a law firm letterhead? Why was there no cc indicating a client? Why a California return address and a Portland, OR postmark on the envelope?

“We are ordering you to cease and desist your usage of the domain name and transfer it to the City of Angels International Christian Church within 45 days of the receipt of this letter. If you fail to transfer the domain name to the City of Angels International Christian Church or respond to this letter with 45 days we will commence litigation against you in this matter.”

Because of the deceitful practices of McKean’s leaders in the past, I had many questions about this letter and it’s authority, I looked up the attorney’s name in the California State Bar Association. Nothing found. I looked up his name in the Oregon State Bar Association. Nothing found. Am I dealing with a real attorney?

“Keep in mind that your site clearly violates trademark, civil, and federal laws. It’s an open and shut case. We both know that you can’t possibly win in arbitration/litigation and that choosing that route will result in you being liable for both of our costs in the end. This answers your questions to me in Delphi forums a few years ago when you told me to go ahead and try to take the domain, just like all of the others.”

At this point, on April 30, I sent a letter to Mr. Davis at the address he had listed in his letter to me. I wanted to know who he was representing and in what state he was an attorney. Why was he appearing to practice law in California and did not show up in a California Bar search?

My letter was mailed and a notice left at the address in California to pick up the letter at the post office. It was ignored.

At this point, having been placed under a 45 day deadline, and Mr. Davis’ non-response to my request, I did some further research and found an attorney with his name listed with the Washington State Bar Association. I waited until May 14 with still no response from Mr. Davis having never picked up the letter from the post office, I decided to call the WSBA and ask about filing a grievance with them and they advised I should try contacting Mr. Davis at the law firm address they had on file. So I sent a 2nd letter to Mr. Davis at his law firm’s address and I decided to forward a copy of both my letters to the managing partner at his law firm, in case Mr. Davis were to ignore my 2nd letter, at lease somebody with legal authority would know his activities, and that I was trying to respond within the 45 day deadline Mr. Davis had given me.

“Congratulations on all of your efforts. You have successfully saved hundreds, if not thousands from the truth. No matter who’s right before the Lord in all this you can be sure there is a very special place reserved for you

Much needed “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Tim 1:2”

Nothing like being spoken to by a so-called man of God in this fashion. So much concern and compassion expressed to me. And a smiley face? Really? Unbelievable!

I also thought about how I was taught in the church to believe that this kind of critical expression was to be chalked up as persecution, so I felt very honored to be so persecuted in my attempts at giving website visitors a chance to read both sides of the events surrounding McKean. If people decided to no longer follow McKean or to not join him in the first place, then yes, I have saved thousands.

“Mr. Davis when he wrote the cease and desist letter to you was acting as a church member under my direction. He is not officially representing the City of Angels Church or myself in a legal capacity. He inadvertently signed the letter, “Attorney at Law.” We apologize for any confusion.”

In his letter, he attempts to convince me that Mr. Davis “inadvertently” signed the letter to me as Attorney at Law. I believe that McKean was trying to dissuade me from filing a grievance against Mr. Davis for attempting to practice law in a state that he was not licensed to practice. Interesting to note that McKean’s letter was postmarked Vancouver, WA, the town where Mr. Davis practices law.

“You should also be well aware by now that Mr. Harding, Mr. Davis, Russ Preston, and all others were acting under my direction in demanding that you cease and desist from using the domain name, kipmckean.com.”

McKean acknowledged that he had directed Mr. Preston and others to contact me about the website over the years. So McKean was well aware of their deceitful practices and had indeed directed it.

At this point, and with the 45 day deadline looming and having ICANN proceedings threatened, I hired an attorney.

Over the next several days, I came to the decision to transfer the domain and to end their threats and contact. The cost to defend myself in an ICANN proceeding, while worthwhile, was prohibitive to my budget. So my attorney informed McKean and Harding that I would be transferring the domain to them.

On June 16, I initiated a domain transfer with my web hosting company, and on June 30, the transfer was complete.

“It truly is sad that you consider me an enemy because we would make great partners working together as real partners in the Gospel. When you consider how to come after our movement, claiming that we are all about money, deceit, and financial fraud please consider the facts from the church I lead here in Portland…”

While I do not view Mr. Harding as an enemy, I do view him as a deceitful man that is leading many astray. I feel sorry for Harding, Preston and Mr. Davis. They are under a powerful delusion and feel flattered when McKean asks for their help. Having been in the church so long myself, I understand how they feel.

Since Mr. Davis, the attorney, had never contacted me with the information I requested, and having received McKean’s attempt at getting Mr. Davis out of any trouble, I decided to initiate a grievance with the Washington State Bar. I believe this was necessary in that McKean and Harding were using Mr. Davis as their attorney to threaten and intimidate me to turn over the website. McKean claiming that Davis was not acting as their attorney didn’t ring true with me. Of all the members in McKean’s churches that he directed to send me a letter, he used Mr. Davis, for the only reason, that he was indeed an attorney.

I will publish the grievance and the responses I received from the WSBA once the matter has been finalized.

I have responses from Davis and Harding attempting to claim that Mr. Davis was not acting as their attorney even though he was giving them advice and direction and signing their letters as an attorney. Harding himself has claimed in an email to me that Davis was “our attorney” and in his good news sharing on McKean’s website that “our new “Kingdom attorney,” Xavier Davis,” yet claims in his response to the Bar that Davis is not their attorney.

I filed the grievance because I do not think they should be allowed to do this to me, or to other people in the future.

As you can see from my correspondences with these men, they have acted with deceit and lies. They accuse me of lying. You decide.